Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 165: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the value for money audit into special needs assistants has been completed; if so, when the review will be made publicly available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41991/08]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 166: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a policy decision has been taken on foot of a value for money audit into special needs assistants to reduce the number of special needs assistants in the system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41992/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 and 166 together.

The Value for Money and Policy Review of the Special Needs Assistant Scheme is currently underway and it is expected to be completed during 2009. The final report, once approved, is laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas, submitted to the appropriate Oireachtas Select Committee and published on the Department's website.

As the review is not at completion stage, it would be premature of me at this point to anticipate the conclusions that will emerge from the review. Meanwhile, the National Council for Special Education continues to allocate additional teaching and care resources for children with special educational needs in the context of the Department's criteria for allocating such support.